The present invention relates to an airbag device for protecting an occupant on a high-speed vehicle, a cover thereof, and an emblem attached to the cover. In particular, the invention relates to an emblem provided in a cover, which is improved such that a rim of the emblem is not conspicuous, the cover having the aforementioned emblem, and an airbag device including the cover.
As airbag devices which protect occupants from an impact of a vehicle collision, a driver""s seat airbag device, a front passenger""s seat airbag device and the like have been widely used. The driver""s seat airbag device is mounted on a boss section of a steering wheel, and includes an inflator which sprouts a gas; an airbag; and a cover or cover body which covers the airbag folded and stored. In the event of vehicle collision, the airbag is inflated by a pressure of a gas sprouted from the inflator, and the cover body formed of a soft resin is torn to open like a door, so that the airbag is inflated and deployed in front of the occupant.
An ornamental plate called an emblem is often attached to the cover of the airbag device, especially, the cover of the driver""s side airbag device. As a structure of attaching the emblem to the cover body, there has been known a structure disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 10-273004 and Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 11-189119. In this structure, a recess section for fitting the emblem therein is formed on a front surface of the cover, and also, through holes are formed in the concave portion. Then, leg portions projecting from the emblem rearwardly are inserted into the through holes, and distal end sides of the leg portions are bent along an inner surface of the cover.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a structure of attaching the emblem disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 10-273004. A cover 21 includes a covering section 22 for covering a part of a spoke section and a boss section, in which an airbag is stored, and an attachment wall section 23 in a form of a substantially rectangular cylinder which projects downwardly from a rear surface of the covering section 22. In the covering section 22, tear lines 24a and 24b as a tearing section are formed. The attachment wall section 23 is provided with rivet holes 23a for attaching the cover to a retainer of the airbag device.
At a substantial central portion of the covering section 22 of the cover 21, there is formed a recess section 28 for attaching the emblem, and an emblem 31 is attached to the recess section 28. At a central portion of the recess section 28, a rivet hole 28b, which pierces from a front surface side to a rear surface side, is bored, and also, slit-like holes 28c are formed at plural positions along an outer peripheral portion of the recess section 28.
This emblem 31 includes a plurality of legs 32c projecting in a rearward direction. Openings 32d are formed at the distal end sides of the legs 32c. 
The emblem 31 is fitted into the recess section 28 by inserting the legs 32c into the holes 28c. Then, the respective legs 32c are bent in a leg-closing direction to laminate the respective distal ends with each other. Incidentally, in this case, the openings 32d of the respective legs 32c accord concentrically. Then, a rivet 33 is urged to pass through the openings 32d of the respective legs 32c and a rivet hole 28b at a center of the recess section 28, and is attached thereinto. Accordingly, the emblem 31 is fixed to the cover body 21.
As described above, in the structure in which the legs 32c are inserted into the holes 28c and bent along the inner surface of the cover body 21 to thereby attach the emblem 31, especially in case a side surface of the emblem including the legs 32c has a light color or a metallic surface (metallic gross surface), deep or front portions of the legs 32c inserted into the holes 28c are recognized visually, so that an appearance or beauty of the emblem is deteriorated.
Therefore, a coating with the same type of color is applied to the legs 32c, so that a conspicuousness of the legs 32c is solved. However, on the other hand, rim portions 32b of the emblem between the legs 32c become conspicuous, resulting in causing another bad impression. Namely, the rim portions 32b have metallic surfaces while the legs 32c have coated surfaces. Thus, a space between the emblem 31 and a stepped surface of the recess section 28 along the rim portion 32b is seen relatively brightly due to polish, while the portions of the aforementioned space around the holes 28c are seen as a non-polish surface. Accordingly, an unevenness in shining and tone appears in a peripheral direction of the emblem, resulting in causing a bad impression on the appearance.
The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problem in the prior art, and an object of the invention is to provide an emblem which is excellent in appearance in which a space between the emblem and a stepped surface of the cover body is well matched, and to provide a cover using the emblem, and an airbag device including the cover.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
To achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides an emblem provided on an outer surface of a cover of an airbag device. The emblem is formed of a main plate disposed on the outer surface of the cover body; and attachment legs projecting in a direction of a rear side of the emblem from an outer rim portion of the main plate. At least outer surfaces of base end sides of the legs have the same type of color as that of at least a rim portion at a rear side of a side surface of the main plate.
The present invention also provides a cover in which the emblem as stated above is attached on the outer surface of the cover. The cover includes a concave portion provided on the outer surface of the cover, and holes piercing the cover and provided along a stepped surface of the concave portion. In the cover with the emblem, the legs of the emblem are inserted into the holes of the cover, and the legs are bent at an inner side of the cover.
An airbag of the invention includes the cover with the emblem described above.
In the emblem, the cover and the airbag device of the invention described above, since at least the outer surfaces of the legs at the base end sides thereof have the same type of the color as that of at least the rim portion of the side surface of the emblem at the rear side, the space between the side surface of the emblem and the stepped surface of the concave portion of the cover body has a substantially equal tone in the circumferential direction of the emblem, so that the beauty or appearance of the cover body is extremely improved.